Why do you use handguns?

[Iowaboy]

So here in Iowa they spell out which handgun calibers we can shoot deer with. Which one would you go with if you were to build a long range sp?

357magnum, 357maximum, 375winchester, 38super, 40S&W, 41powermag, 10mm auto, 41rem mag, 41action express, 44s&w special, 44rem mag, 44auto mag, 444marlin, 445super mag, 45acp, 45colt, 45super mag, 45win mag, 45 silhouette, 451detonics, 454casul, 45-70, 460rowland, 460s&w mag, 475widley mag, 475 linebaugh, 480ruger, 50action express, 50linebaugh, 50beowulf, 500s&w mag.

[jorvin]

the 357 max or the 444 marlin IMHO look good

[J E Custom]

Originally Posted by jorvin

the 357 max or the 444 marlin IMHO look good

For deer and hogs the 444 is awesome. Mine is in a TC Contender with a SSK barrel. It is
a bear to handle (Recoil is around 45.8 ft/lbs) I use it out to 250 yards .

For the longer shots I use a XP 100 action with a 16.5 inch barrel chambered in 7/08.

I have zeros out to 600 yards and have made one shot kills beyond 500 yards with
the 7/08.

For long range hunting I highly recomend the bolt action pistols and for cost and fun
the contender in something like the 7/30 Waters is hard to beat and it is a great hunting
round.

The only recommendation when buying a contender is to get it in a rimmed cartridge. (The
cartridges that head space on the shoulder can be problematic).

Just my 2 cents

J E CUSTOM

[gravedigger]

Originally Posted by dust

is the Striker or the TC gonna be a better or cheaper way to start?

I see that Ernie recommends a bolt rig or MOA, I use the TC Encore which works great for me. It is my personal opinion that people recommend what they shoot to people. Unless you are planning on shooting a 1000 yds the TC will work great, it is my opinionm that the TC with FRO or custom barrels will take care of any shooting or hunting that you will ever do. We have several people over at Specialty Pistols shoot long range with TC's. Old Fart uses TC to shoot long range, PM him for his opinion as I believe he is a very good shooter.

gravedigger

[TCKev]

I shoot both an XP and Contender's. There is no comparing the 2 strength wise(or the Encore). There are guy's out there that can shoot the break open gun's(Ray) as well as the bolt rig's those kinda guy's can shoot anything well. But for those that want all the Horsepower they can muster from a handgun the bolt rig or rolling block MOA win's hand's down. If you want the multi caliber capability's then the Encore, Contender or MOA are the way to go. You can build an XP into a switch barrel gun it's just not as easy to swap out barrel's as the other's mentioned. That being said the Striker is supposed to be pretty user friendly with the barrel nut it has. Sorry for rambling.